Neil Young

snowblind

One of my best gig highlights was Neil Young at Wembley arena back in 1980-something. They finish a song and most of the lights are down. Only sound is the hiss from frying amps then they kick into "Down by the river". Those opening notes sounded like an earthquake in a cathedral. Magic.

Sarge

Well, he did write A man needs a maid, and who would argue with that? 

GoFish

ICBM said:

...I don't actually think he's had a 'good period' and a 'bad period' at any time, other than perhaps the run of the first few albums being great - his output has always been a bit variable, he's always been willing to experiment a bit, and some of his later work is as good as anything he's ever written.

That's spot on.

GoFish

Sarge said:

Well, he did write A man needs a maid, and who would argue with that? 

By the BBC acoustic concert we've all seen he'd already changed it to "A man is afraid" and I won't argue with that either.

Kurtis

I like him, but don't listen very often really.

CloudNine

I agree with @ICBM on this. I am a massive fan, but under no illusions that everything he touches is gold, variable is definitely the word. His worst music is some of the most dire rubbish I have ever heard, but at his best he is operating on another level of songwriting that most will never get near.

And as for hearing him live, if you love guitars and rock music, then you owe it to yourself to experience that sound while you still can. I have never heard anything like it, without any shadow of a doubt the best guitar/amp tone I have ever experienced. 

57Deluxe

I think the shift to more 'rock' around Like a Hurricane on American Stars 'n Bars was when I latched on... Anyone who could play guitar that badly and still sound intriguing gave me hope for my efforts.

ICBM

breadfan said:

I’m a big Neil Young fan but I haven’t listened to anything he’s released since Chrome Dreams II, which came out in 2007 (I think most, if not all, of it was actually recorded in the late 70s) 

Has anyone listened to his newer stuff? 

He seems to still be quite prolific. 

Yes, all of it. Some is great, some not quite so much... same old Neil .

If you like the heavier, more rocky side of him, at the least you need to get Psychedelic Pill - I saw him (with Crazy Horse) on that tour and it's one of the most transcendental gigs I've ever been to - when he finished I really couldn't have told you if he'd played for two hours or two days. Ramada Inn on that album is one of his best-ever songs, I think.

Greatape

jeromegreenday said:

He's ace. If it wasn't for him you wouldn't have two of the finest cover songs ever, St etienne - only love can break your heart and Grace potter and Joe satriani - Cortez the killer
Grace Potter and Joe Satriani cover Cortez the Killer (youtube.com)

I kind of hope I never come across that Satch video again. 

That song is telling a grim story. Neil's solo is helping set that scene. Joe is wanking over the chord changes. 

Revolutions

fretfinder said:

Well, he shot four men in a cocaine deal

And he left 'em lyin' in an open field
Full of old cars with bullet holes in the mirrors
He tried to do his best, but he could not…

Oh no, not another one. After the Clapton thread, I thought we might have heard the end of superstar crime lords. Is there no God??? 

Blueingreen

I did have a spell of fandom where I bought and listened to a lot of his stuff, including CSNY and Buffalo Springfield, but I’m rarely if ever tempted to listen to him now. 

borntohang

I could listen to Live Rust and Weld forever. His grunge solos are especially apocalyptic on both of those - the guitar tones for Love And Only Love or Blowin In The Wind on Weld are particularly incredible. Love To Burn too.

In fact, just all of that record for me. It's too hard to pick a favourite. 

thermionic

Greatape said:

Strongly recommend his biography, 'Shakey', for an insane level of detail 

That book turned out to be an expensive read for me. Every time I finished a chapter I was straight down to the record shop to buy the album I’d just been reading about!

TheBigDipper

I'm a Neil Young fan and model my own artistic approach on him (AKA "I don't care if you like it, it's what I want to make"). I'm also a huge Joni Mitchell fan, who only ever seemed to write clever songs about her own life. Maybe it's a "Canadians-moved-to-Laurel Canyon" thing... 

Greatape

thermionic said:

Greatape said:

Strongly recommend his biography, 'Shakey', for an insane level of detail 

That book turned out to be an expensive read for me. Every time I finished a chapter I was straight down to the record shop to buy the album I’d just been reading about!

It's even worse with wob.com at your fingertips. But yeah, likewise. 

Word to the wise - the Roxy show of Tonight's the Night is definitely worth it. 

bacchanalian

A Neil Young Archives annual subscription is well worth $24.99. Access to all the albums to stream in high res.

There are an overwhelming number of great songs.

Philly_Q

bacchanalian said:

A Neil Young Archives annual subscription is well worth $24.99. Access to all the albums to stream in high res.

There are an overwhelming number of great songs.

That reminds me, did he make his albums available on Spotify again?

bacchanalian

I think he and Joni are both back on Spotify.

Neil sold off the rights to his back catalogue for $150m, but unlike some of the others who cashed out, he still retains control of where the music can be played.

I heard 'Born in the USA' in the Co-op this week. 

robgilmo

Old man look at my life, Im a lot like you were, yeah? As you buy a hundred acre ranch and write this about its care taker? Course you are Neil.

SteveRobinson

NP: Like a Hurricane (live version)

Must watch Dead Man again, great film and superb soundtrack courtesy of Mr Young